The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-08-12
The Origin of It.
THE GRAND ARMY oUTBURsT THE RESULT
OF A CONSPIRACY OF CLAIM AGENTS.

1t is apparent from the lively dis
cussion that is going on here in Wash
ingten that the true origin of this
whole business Is not overlooked by the
people. 1t is very well known here
that the first objection made to the Vi
sit of President Cleveland to the Grand
Army encampment came from the Ma
tionat Tribune, of which Mr.. G. E.
Lemon is the proprietor and c,nduc-
tor. 1t is an open secret that an effort
was made from the office of that paper
before it began its denunciation of
President Cleveland, to induce the
correspondents of certain prominent
Republican papers 10 adopt the line of
attack subsequently followed by the
Tribune itself. Failing in this, the
Tribune took up the fight for itself,
and was not very long in bringing in
General Tuttle, of Iowa, as an active
assistant. 1t is generally believed
here that the animated interest of the
National Tribune in the matter is
due to the fact that new form of de-
pendent pension bill is to be submitted
to the Grand Army encampment for
Endorsement. This bill was in course
of arrangement at the time when the
first objections were made to the invi.
tation given President Cleveland, and
the text has since been given to the
public in a telegram from Madison,
Wisconsin, the home of General "Pal-
sy' Fairchild Commander in Chief of
the G. A. r. I"
Mr.. Lemon, who owns the National
Tribune, has almost monopoly of
business as pension attorney and con-
sequently has great deal at stake in
the passage of big pension bill. He
and the others who are arranging
to push the matter before Congress
next Winter feared the effect of Presi-
dent Cleveland's visit to the National
encampment. They could readily see
that, if he were present in the city dur
ing the encampment, as the invited
guest of the Grand Army Committee,
he would naturally be asked to address
the encampment. The danger to be en-
countered in this lay in the fact that
his plain, straight forward, honest de-
fence OF the pension veto flast session
would have its effect upon the members
of the encampment. 1t was a great
risk to run, because there was large
chance that one short, sensible speech
by President Cleveland would go
right home to the heart of the soldiers
and block the whole scheme for an in
dorsement of their pension bill. Hence
it was that they opened their batteries
on the President in such lively style,
caring for nothing 80 that they succeed.
ed in making it impossible for him to
60 to st. Louis as they have certainly
done.
1t is pleasing to see Indications, how
ever, that this very success of the pen,
sion claim agents promises to work
their eventual ruin. The pension ques-
tion in every detail, and in all its phas.
IS, is now before the country, and must
remain before il throughout the coming
session of Congress in way it could
not have been presented even if the
President had gone to st. Louis and
made the speech it was 80 much feared
he might make. 1t is not doubted
here that the old soldiers, understand
ing the scheme now, will refuse tc
take any part In so despotic an effort
to humiliate the chief executive of the
Nation. They will look more carefully
into the reasons he has heretofore Civ
en- for the veto of the bill which failed
at tie last session, and learn that he
had good, wise aud patriotic reasons
for that interposition Of the executive
power.-COr. 50. Louis Republican.